Colonial Period

Towards the turn of the 19th century, the people who resided in the area known as Botswana, made up at least eight ethnic Chiefdoms whose peoples shared a common language and history, and co-existed in relative peace. Traditional boundaries of the southern chiefdoms extended deep into South Africa, where there are over three million South Africans of Tswana descent.

During this period, Britain was consolidating its military and economic strength as a major colonial power in Southern Africa. At the same time, Dutch settlers calling themselves Afrikaners (Boers) and German settlers in Namibia (then South West Africa) were pushing northwards and westwards, respectively, annexing more and more Batswana lands.

Britain did not take kindly to such developments because she wanted the rich lands of the Shona and Ndebele in present-day Zimbabwe, and her ambitions of an African empire extending from Cape to Cairo was being seriously threatened by any continued Afrikaner-German expansion. This development was a blessing in disguise for Botswana as Britain finally agreed to declare Botswana a protected territory, Bechaunaland Protectorate, safeguarding the latter from total annexation by the Germans and Boers, and securing her own strategic interests.

Initially, most Batswana chiefs, except the three who had asked for British protection in 1870 (Khama III of Bangwato, Bathoen I of Bangwaketse and Sechele I of Bakwena), were suspicious of and resisted British protection. The chiefs eventually agreed but cautioned that protection should not entail British rule, but protection against external threat. The area was declared a British Protectorate by Royal Decree in March of 1885. Britain set up a structure of advisory councils, Native Advisory Council, European Advisory Council, Joint Advisory Council, and ultimately a Representative Legislative Council to administer the territory between the years 1922 and 1961, overseen by a Resident Commissioner who was responsible to a High Commissioner. Various attempts were made to incorporate Botswana into Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and the Union of South Africa (now South Africa) but due to vehement opposition from Botswana chiefs, some British missionaries, and later, the nationalist leaders, such attempts were defeated.

In addition, the provisions of the 1910 Act of Union, which created the Union of South Africa, stated that incorporation could only be done with the consent of the peoples of the then High Commission Territories of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.

Beginning of Partisan Politics

Batswana chiefs had always sought to protect their own power from the colonial government, and they increasingly became more outspoken in asserting their birthright to govern their own affairs, eventually advocating for self-government. The first political party in Botswana, short-lived and limited in scope, was the Federal Party founded by one of Botswana's truly outstanding literacy figure, poet-cum-playwright, Leetile Disang Raditladi. However, the first modern nationalist parties emerged in the early 1960's as a result of the disappointment with the Legislative Council.

The Bechuanaland People's Party (BPP) under the leadership of Prof. Kgalemang Motsete, an accomplished music composer and educationist, was the first mass party to agitate for full independence. Prof. Motsete's manifesto was considered not radical enough by his militant Vice President, Phillip Matante, who changed it to include, among others, full independence under an African government, freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion and a review of the boundaries created by European powers in Africa. Internal dissension on the eve of the first national elections in 1965 resulted in a split and the birth of the Botswana Independence Party (BIP) under the leadership of Mr Motsamai Mpho.

The Bechuanaland Democratic Party was next to be formed in 1962 under the leadership of Mr Seretse Khama who later became the first President of the Republic of Botswana. The party's Vice President was an eloquent master farmer and former journalist, Mr Quett Ketumile Joni Masire, later to become President upon the death of Seretse Khama. During 1963 and 1964, a series of constitutional discussions took place to prepare the way for self-government. At this stage, Britain again debated the advisability of granting independence to a country which, she felt, would not be able to raise the finances necessary to support itself, making incorporation into South Africa an available option. As expected, the proposal was forcefully rejected by Batswana.

The first general elections were held in March 1965, and the BDP won in an overwhelming victory, taking 28 of the 31 contested seats, the BPP securing the remaining 3 seats, whilst the BIP got no seats. On the 30th of September 1966, the country became the independent Republic of Botswana with Sir Seretse Khama as the first President.

Political Parties

At present, Botswana has twelve registered political parties, namely: Botswana Democratic Party (BDP); Botswana People's Party (BPP); Botswana National Front (BNF); Botswana Progressive Union (BPU); Botswana Labour Party (BLP); Independence Freedom Party (IFP); Social Democratic Party (SDP); Botswana Workers Front (BWF); United Socialist Party (USP); United Action Party (UAP/Bosele); Botswana Congress Party (BCP); MELS Movement of Botswana (Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin).